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Philadelphia South/Clarksboro KOA features a fenced dog park where pets can exercise off-leash, making it a popular option for campers with dogs near Essington. The campground maintains pet-friendly accommodations across tent sites, RV spaces, cabins, and glamping tents, with specific dog-friendly amenities throughout the property. Ridley Creek State Park Campground also accepts pets at their group camping area, providing access to numerous hiking trails where leashed dogs are welcome. Both locations require pets to be on-leash in most common areas, cleaned up after, and supervised at all times. Most sites have grassy areas for quick pet relief, though some campers note the KOA occasionally has issues with guests not picking up after smaller dogs around the pond area despite available waste stations. Campers reference The Dyrt for top tips on camping near Essington, Pennsylvania.
The hiking trails along Ridley Creek provide excellent opportunities for dog walking, with multiple loop options ranging from easy to moderate difficulty. The Philadelphia South KOA offers excellent proximity to urban dog-friendly attractions while maintaining a quiet environment where pets can relax after day trips. The campground's store stocks basic pet supplies for emergency needs. Guests traveling with pets appreciate the campground's spotless facilities, including clean bathrooms and shower areas. During summer months, the swimming areas remain off-limits to pets, but the walking trail into the woods offers a shaded path for dog exercise during hot weather. Most sites feature enough space for portable pet pens or tie-outs, though the back section sites provide more room but may have more ants and mosquitoes near the woodland edges that can bother sensitive pets.
"Beautiful campground — lots of trees, pond, kids play equipment, dog park, etc. facilities all clean and whole place is well maintained. Easy late arrival."
"The neighbor’s sewer connection is right next to our picnic table! But, the sites are large enough for large RVs, they have 30/50 amp hookups and water & sewer."
"well marked trails great for hiking. pet friendly! we love walking here with our dog. there are even a few great spots to get a small creek swim in! It also has a greag picnic area with grills."
"We found a lot of really unique sites around the park. Will keep going back"
from $57 / night
Check Availability"This row of sites lacked the trees for shade and privacy found at most other sites around the campground. The pool was nice and clean."
"Not close off the highway, but wooden sites. Seems as though people spend their summers there. Pool was beautiful and looked new. Mini golf was decrepit and looked abandoned. Store was nice."
from $31 - $50 / night
Check Availability"There are numerous hiking trails in the park that seemed to be well marked and maintained. The park is about 20- mins from Reading, and 10 mins from Birdsbroro."
"There is a connector trail nearby that can get you to most of the hiking trails. Site was nice. Bathrooms okay. This is a pet loop so be aware of dogs. Hiking trails in park were a nice challenge."
from $20 - $75 / night
Check Availability"We hiked the 7.5mile lake trail with our two pups. It was beautiful and along the way there were opportunities to kayak/sup, beach it, or even play on a ropes course."
"The site itself was set back some, and felt secluded while still being near the parking area. Walk to bathrooms and camp store was on the longer side."
from $22 - $40 / night
Check Availability"It's almost 500 acres filled with trails, woods,and river. I usually go to the parking right off of Militia hill rd.and Skippack Pike intersection."
"m following up on my review from over a year ago with new photos, updated weathered campers’ tales and a quick snapshot of HIGHLIGHTS and LOWLIGHTS: HIGHLIGHTS: (1) Rustic group camping nestled in nearly"
from $28 - $72 / night
Check Availability"They are new-ish Shasta campers, queen bed, 1 slide, rear bunks, 2 entrances. Very clean. Water area is great, splash pad is very fun so is the large blow up slide and pool area."
"I think the lale could use a little cleanup with the amount of bobbers, string and mess left behind by people. There have ao many cabins its crazy and alot of seasonal rentals."
"lake with water sports, hiking trails that are dog friendly, plenty of campsites. If you have kids staying longer for the lake would make sense. bring bug spray!!"
"Outside, to the back of the cabin, was a small deck with picnic table, a grill, and a fire ring. Beyond that you will find a path to the lake with beautiful swans."
from $20 - $65 / night
Check Availability"Some sites have lake-side water access, so bring your canoes and kayaks and reserve these sites (4, 8, 10, 12, 20 and 22) early as they are popular."
"This was a nice large site in the“pet-friendly” section(sites 26-34) of the campground. Site 34 is close to Atsion Road, so there was car noise, but it wasn’t really an issue to us."
RangerWe stayed here for a night in transit. Beautiful campground — lots of trees, pond, kids play equipment, dog park, etc. facilities all clean and whole place is well maintained. Easy late arrival. Good location - convenient but far enough off the highway. Would stay here again.
TravelerCampground sites are nice and spacious, bathrooms are good, and there’s plenty to do for everyone. We hiked the 7.5mile lake trail with our two pups. It was beautiful and along the way there were opportunities to kayak/sup, beach it, or even play on a ropes course. We always travel with our dogs and this place has the BEST dog park. Big open space with access to lots of water play. We definitely recommend this spot!
GuideI was able to book my site the day before the trip. The site itself was set back some, and felt secluded while still being near the parking area.
Walk to bathrooms and camp store was on the longer side. Firewood was $5 a bundle, but the register wasn't working and they could only take cash.
The hiking in the immediate area was beautiful, lots of fun trails and wildlife. Fishing, kayaking, zip lining, tons of great activities.
The firepits have grates over one half, so campfire cooking is a breeze. Cook up and use the provided picnic table for an easy dinner set up.
The park itself is very dog friendly and most sites had dogs. There is also an off leash dog park at Lum's pond and dog water dishes outside the camp store.
The showers and bathrooms were incredibly well kept with hot water and stocked supplies. If you didn't feel like walking so far, the tents had a spiget with running water near the parking areas.
Reception for Verizon was spotty, t mobile was pretty great. Wish there was an ATM on site though I don't think the cash only situation is a normal one for this campground.
All in all an amazing trip, and I'll be back as soon as possible.
GuideMy family and I stayed at French Creek State Park while attending an event in Reading. The park was clean and well maintained. We stayed in Loop A which had no camp host. The camp hosts were in loops B & C. We had a full hook up site. The water and electric worked great! The campground was well patrolled by Rangers throughout our stay. The bathhouses appeared to be clean and maintained. The quiet time starts at 9pm and seemed to be followed by most campers. There are numerous hiking trails in the park that seemed to be well marked and maintained. The park is about 20- mins from Reading, and 10 mins from Birdsbroro. There are many stores and restaurants in the area for food and supplies if needed. We had good cellular service with both AT&T and T-Mobile. The one downside was that there was no off leash dog park. We had to take our dog to a dog park in Birdsbroro. We would stay at this park again.
Guidewell marked trails great for hiking. pet friendly! we love walking here with our dog. there are even a few great spots to get a small creek swim in! It also has a greag picnic area with grills.
LegendWest Chester KOA This is a really nice KOA not too far from downtown Philly. The campground is located in a beautiful part of the Pennsylvania countryside with rolling hills which meant the roads getting there are narrow and windy. A bridge nearby the campground was washed out earlier by a hurricane so we had to take an alternative route going about thirty minutes out of our way. (Make sure you check their website for directions!) There is a lot to do in the surrounding area like visiting the historical sites in downtown Philadelphia, Valley Forge, or exploring Amish country.
This is a typical KOA with lots of amenities and activities for kids– swimming pool, jump pad, miniature golf, volleyball, butterfly garden, gem mining, playground, store, dog park, nature trail, etc. There is a large pool area with pavilion but it was closed during our stay since we were there early in the season. The campground is right on the Brandywine River which is a slow meandering pretty river that is great to get your feet wet or go for a paddle. Canoes and kayaks are available for rent if you have time and as there is very little current in the river you can paddle out and back without any trouble. There is a nice, short nature trail which was nice to walk our dog and she enjoyed getting wet in the river.
The campground is hilly which means that a fair number of sites are not level. Our site (#27) was level for our RV but the patio sloped downhill and we could not use our picnic table or find a level spot for our chairs. Some sites are “premiums” with paved patios, Adirondack chairs, fancy firepits, BBQ grill, and tables and chairs with an umbrella. These sites are really nice, but you pay a lot more for them. Some sites are located adjacent to the river with nice waterfront views, but beware some might be muddy. There are lots of camping cabins and a couple of glamping tents.
Overall, the campground is very clean with no trash lying around and the grass was mowed and trimmed. The 50-amp electric was good as was the water pressure. The sewer connection uphill from our site so it did not drain properly. There is basic cable but since you are so close to Philly there are plenty of over-the-air channels. The Wi-Fi at our site worked well. Garbage is picked up at your site. The surrounding area has plenty of restaurants, shopping, and interesting things to see and do.
GuideWe do Lums Pond at least twice a year if we can get reservations.
Sites are big and all were redone in the last few years with concrete pads, 30 amp service and full sewer. There are some equestrian and tent sites as well.
Lots of boating (electric motors only) and kayaking on the pond and a decent amount of hiking. There’s an off leash dog park, equestrian center and boat ramp. Book early because it fills up fast!
LegendThis is unquestionably the best KOA I’ve been to. I usually do not like KOA, except when there are no alternatives. This one is way above average. Typically these places are all gravel and dust. This one has paved roads, grass and trees. There is a pond for fishing, too. The only complaint is that, like all KOAs, the sites are on top of each other. The neighbor’s sewer connection is right next to our picnic table! But, the sites are large enough for large RVs, they have 30/50 amp hookups and water & sewer. There are cabins and large tents you can rent. There is a playground, pavilion, laundry, and several shower/bathrooms. (The one near us didn’t have hot water. The office people said they were working on it.) There us also a large, grassy, fenced dog park which my 2 spaniels appreciated.
TravelerWe stayed at site 18 in Loop A. There is a connector trail nearby that can get you to most of the hiking trails. Site was nice. Bathrooms okay. This is a pet loop so be aware of dogs. Hiking trails in park were a nice challenge.
The Philadelphia area offers several pet friendly camping options within easy driving distance of Essington, Pennsylvania. Situated along the Delaware River at around 20 feet above sea level, this region experiences hot, humid summers and moderate winters. Most campgrounds near Essington remain open from April through October, with a few year-round options available for campers with pets.
Water activities: 15-minute drive to Tinicum Island for boating access. Tinicum Island requires watercraft to reach but offers a unique camping experience. "A great place to stay if you have a watercraft," notes Bobby S.
Hiking trails: Multiple difficulty levels at Ridley Creek State Park Campground. "Easy hike. We found a lot of really unique sites around the park. Will keep going back," says Andrea R. The park features "well marked trails" and is "great for hiking," according to Mackenzie B.
Bird watching: Fort Washington observation deck offers exceptional viewing opportunities. "If you call yourself a bird watcher, you'll be particularly interested as from this very spot you can view the beautiful raptors that migrate here on a seasonal basis in both the Spring and Autumn," notes a visitor to Fort Washington.
Proximity to Philadelphia: 20 minutes to downtown from several campgrounds. "This is a very nice KOA, just over the Delaware River from Philly. The park is clean, quiet, full of families," reports Jason E. who stayed at Philadelphia South/Clarksboro KOA.
Clean facilities: Modern bathhouses at Lums Pond State Park Campground. "The bath house was absolutely immaculate, and the design made even my public-bathroom-phobic sister-in-law comfortable and at ease," explains Mark. Another visitor notes, "Great bath houses, always super clean."
Spacious sites: Level pads with room to spread out at many locations. "All sites have a paved level area which made set up a breeze. Sites were not on top of each other," mentions Jen R. about French Creek State Park Campground. Another camper adds that the sites feature "plenty of space" and are "level and covered in mulch."
Reservation requirements: Book 2-3 months ahead for summer weekends. "Book early because it fills up fast!" advises Ellen B. regarding Lums Pond State Park Campground.
Seasonal limitations: Most swimming areas closed outside summer months. "We stayed over for one night in early December. Showers and bathrooms were great!" reports Galit P., highlighting that while water recreation might be limited, facilities remain functional year-round.
Group camping only: Some parks restrict individual campsites. "There's only group tenting here. I would stay over in a heartbeat though as I'm always here!" notes a visitor about Ridley Creek State Park.
Playground access: Multiple play areas at Old Cedar Campground. "My grandchildren loved visiting us, pool was clean - they had a few items that they could borrow - fishing was great - playground was adequate. Mini golf was fun for all," describes Craig W.
Themed activities: Scheduled events for children at campgrounds near Essington. "Every Saturday they had an organized activity for the kids... EVERYONE was extremely friendly," explains Craig W. about Old Cedar Campground's family programming.
Water features: Pools and splash pads for cooling off. "We found several places nearby to purchase wood, besides the supermarket and a nursery in town, there are a few residents that sell it right on their front lawn," notes a visitor to French Creek State Park Campground, highlighting the convenience of local resources.
Full hookup availability: Several options within 30 minutes of Essington. "The campground maintains pet-friendly accommodations across tent sites, RV spaces, cabins, and glamping tents," according to reviews of the area.
Site leveling considerations: Check site details before booking. "The site was fairly level, side-to-side, so I really only needed to level front to back. That was a bonus," explains Mark about Hospitality Creek Campground. Another camper adds, "Our lakefront site(#57) was superb! It was between a small, paved boat ramp and a row of arborvitae trees on the other side separating us from the neighboring site. The entire site was level and covered in mulch."
Hookup locations: Bring extra hoses and cords for some sites. "The water hookups are shared every other site (at least in the Fence Loop). I was lucky my 75' hose barely reached the distance needed. Be sure to bring extra hoses," advises a visitor to Old Cedar Campground.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Essington, PA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Essington, PA is Philadelphia South/Clarksboro KOA with a 4.3-star rating from 21 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Essington, PA?
TheDyrt.com has all 101 dog-friendly camping locations near Essington, PA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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